Half an hour later.
Anko, carrying an extra-large Chashu Tonkotsu Ramen, skipped back into the small courtyard.
Only to find her little junior sister next to her favorite cherry blossom tree... filling a pit?
"Excuse me, my dear little Haruko."
"Do you have some sort of problem with this tree?" Anko asked with a strange look on her face. "Is it because our teacher isn't here to train with you, so you're bored out of your mind?"
"Of course not." Qingchuan shook her head, her sweet smile making her look so innocent.
"I just thought, since this cherry blossom tree has accompanied me in my training for so long, it's about time I gave it some fertilizer..."
Although Qingchuan admitted that she and Orochimaru were completely incompatible, and her desire to kill him grew by the day, the two shared a perfect, unspoken understanding when it came to communicating with Anko.
The teacher who was secretly conducting live human experiments.
And the disciple who was determined to kill her teacher.
When it came to Anko, the only one who was even remotely normal, Qingchuan and Orochimaru had a tacit agreement.
"Fertilizer?" Anko looked suspiciously at the freshly turned soil. "Really?"
She felt like something was off...
But she just couldn't put her finger on it.
Anko was a little puzzled.
"Of course!"
The shovel finished its final task of filling the pit, and Qingchuan even stomped on the ground a couple of times with her feet.
"The cherry blossoms next year will definitely be beautiful!"
Having buried two Root members, Qingchuan was in an excellent mood.
She took the ramen, sat down beneath the cherry blossom tree, and enjoyed her delicious meal...
---
Meanwhile, on the other side.
Root Headquarters.
"Lord Danzō, the mission to capture Uchiha Haruko has likely failed."
"Should we dispatch more personnel?"
The mission had exceeded its designated time limit. A Root operative reported cautiously.
Danzō's single eye narrowed. "Are you certain Uchiha Haruko was alone?"
"No other Uchiha interfered?"
"No," the Root member replied quickly. "No members of the Uchiha clan were detected near Lord Orochimaru's residence."
"Furthermore... during the mission, Orochimaru's other disciple, Mitarashi Anko, was not at the scene either."
After quickly finishing his report, the operative hurriedly bowed his head.
Shimura Danzō's expression grew increasingly grim...
"In other words... it was just one person."
The situation was obvious.
Root members who failed to return after the designated time usually meant one of two things.
The mission had failed.
Or they had betrayed Root.
The former was clearly the more likely probability.
But two identical missions with the same result, all because of a little girl...
This was a slap in the face to Root!
The first time, perhaps there was room for explanation.
After all, it was within the Uchiha clan grounds, and by sheer coincidence, they were encountered by both Uchiha Shisui and Hatake Kakashi, who already had ties to the Uchiha.
A mission failure under those circumstances was within a reasonable range.
But even then, they had only lost an arm!
Although in Danzō's eyes, that was no different from being dead... in the end, it was Root that had ended that failure's life.
It was Root's rule that did not permit mission failure!
But this time...
"Has a mere Uchiha genin dared to lay hands on Root..."
"Orochimaru, you've truly raised a fine student."
A cold snort.
Danzō's cane struck the ground heavily as he strode out with a stern gait.
"Come, go with me to find Orochimaru!"
...
At the end of the dim corridor.
Screams rose and fell, one after another.
Danzō and his subordinate moved quickly.
But even he felt a little creeped out.
Without a doubt, the master behind this horror was clearly devoid of any humanity.
Danzō's brow furrowed.
Finally, they reached the end.
Pushing the door open, Orochimaru's figure was still at the operating table.
He seemed completely unaware of Root's arrival.
"Two of my men were killed by that Uchiha disciple of yours."
As if not wanting to stay here for a second longer, Danzō stated his purpose the moment he entered.
"It is not appropriate for Root to dispatch more personnel to target a single Uchiha."
"Since she is your disciple, I'll trouble you to bring her to Root personally."
There was no accusation in his tone regarding Orochimaru's "lack of discipline."
Danzō's tone was the same as that of the two dead Root members when they had first confronted Qingchuan.
Orochimaru's research was too important... for Root, for Konoha.
Danzō would not compromise for anyone or anything.
But... this Wood Release, this Power of the First Hokage, was clearly an exception.
His hands never stopping their work, Orochimaru let out a soft, disdainful laugh.
"I understand."
Sending two Root members to bring back Haruko.
Interesting...
If you had seen the scene of my first meeting with Haruko, you probably wouldn't have made such a foolish decision...
That girl will not bow her head to anyone.
Even now, she still calls me 'teacher' while trying to cleave my head open...
The smile on his lips widened. Orochimaru stopped his work, and his head rotated a full half-circle to look at the frowning Danzō.
"Rest assured..."
"I will give you a satisfactory answer."
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